Citizens of Florida must consider their position on Florida’s Amendment 3, the legalization of marijuana, as this election approaches.
Passing Amendment 3 would legalize recreational marijuana use for individuals of 21 years or older and permit the sale of marijuana by medical marijuana treatment centers. Individuals would be able to possess three ounces of marijuana or up to five grams if the marijuana is in the form of concentrate.
When you go to vote, vote no on Amendment 3. This amendment should not be passed because legalization does not fix issues surrounding marijuana use or fentanyl and creates new issues.
Legalizing marijuana will not eliminate fentanyl poisoning
One reason people want to pass Amendment 3 is because they believe the legalization of marijuana will help decrease the levels of fentanyl poisoning. However, when looking at statistics, a majority of fentanyl poisoning cases are actually more prevalent in people under the age of 21, an age group that does not receive legal rights to purchase regulated marijuana if the amendment passes.
A study conducted by the organization Families Against Fentanyl, recently uncovered that “children under the age of 14 are dying of fentanyl poisoning at a faster rate than any other age group.” A majority of these fentanyl poisonings come from cases where marijuana is laced with fentanyl according to the DEA.
DEA research also shows that individuals who may not have the funds to purchase marijuana at retail price may try to find a cheaper alternative, which is more likely to be laced with fentanyl. Children cannot purchase marijuana in states where it is legal and are most likely to have insufficient funds to purchase the drug, causing them to turn to the black market. By purchasing the marijuana from black market sources, children become the most likely to obtain laced marijuana.
When something becomes legalized, it becomes much more accepted in society. This can become a dangerous influence on kids who see their parental figures or role models indulging in the use of marijuana. Kids have not fully developed decision–making skills to understand the age restriction behind the law and the severity of indulging in the use of marijuana at a younger age, and might attempt to use the drug. According to Stage 4 of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development, “children believe that following rules and laws is essential for maintaining social order, and they often define ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ based on whether an action is legal or not.”
Regulating marijuana doesn’t make it healthy
In addition to reducing fentanyl poisonings, regulation does not prevent people from contracting major health issues. Growing marijuana has no federal centralized regulations, and in some states, such as California, can have little to no regulation. Studies conducted on personal cultivation of marijuana have shown that if the growth of the drug is not well regulated, mold or fungus may contaminate the plant, leading to poisonings and other medical issues.
Not only can contaminated marijuana plants cause health issues, but regular marijuana use can lead to severe illnesses. According to the Miami Herald, people who frequently use the drug tend to be diagnosed with head and neck cancers and have an increased chance of having a stroke or a heart attack.
Aside from the myriad dangers that legalizing marijuana poses to health, legalization also opens the door for the formation of monopolies and oligopolies — posing a threat to our economy.
Corporations will dominate this new sector
The state of Florida has no regulations in place to protect small cannabis distributors from larger dominating corporations. Researchers from the Parabola Center hypothesize that the legalization of marijuana will eventually lead to “markets dominated by one or a few players that control the cultivation, processing, and sale of cannabis products.”
With no regulations in place to protect small businesses, one large intrastate market will form — which is a market that exchanges services and products within a single state. Interstate barriers, which are laws or practices that favor local businesses over businesses from other states, will also diminish. This will lead to monopolization of the cannabis industry by one large cannabis corporation.
Furthermore, evidence from studies conducted in California highlighted how oligopolies formed due to a loophole found in the decriminalization of marijuana. Large businesses obtained as many cultivator licenses as they could afford, allowing them to abuse the legalization and form oligopolies.
It’s clear that there are more dangers to legalizing marijuana in Florida that many might realize. Between increased use in younger demographics and the danger of creating a cannabis industry monopoly, Floridians should think long and hard about their vote on Amendment 3, then vote no.